erik_arneson's avatar
Author:
Erik Arneson
Login For More
Rate this article:
  • 0/5 Stars
  • Related Photos
SPEEDtv.com Store
Grand National:America's Golden Age of Motorcycle Racing, by Joe Scalzo
Joe Scalzo’s book captures the spirit of the Golden Age of motorcycle racing.
Our Price: $39.95
Visit Button
Buy Button
Man-Made Thunder
The book examines the sport of stock car racing through the eyes and ears of the men behind the wheel and the wrenches.
Our Price: $49.00
Visit Button
Buy Button
Unisex Sandwich Cap
Unisex Velcro back hat with SPEED logo on front. PINKS logo embroidered on left and PAO logo on right. One size fits all.
Our Price: $24.95
Visit Button
Buy Button
Speedway T-shirt
Men's 6 oz. 100% Cotton Jersey Short Sleeve Tee. SPEED logo imprinted on the front center chest.
Our Price: $24.99
Visit Button
Buy Button
Ferrari Red Classic Hat
100% cotton twill. Ferrari shield embroidered on front, piping on the peak and Ferrari logo embroidered on back strap adjuster.
Our Price: $30.00 ($27.00 Member)
Visit Button
Buy Button
Footer Bg
  • Zoom More Photos Button
  • Camera Icon
SPEED To Follow Beginner, Expert in Dramatic Two Roads To Taupo 1000
Written by: Erik Arneson   
01/15/2008
Charlotte, North Carolina
 
The one-hour special will premiere Jan. 25 at 9 p.m., following a re-air of Two Roads to Baja at 8:00pm ET. (Photo: Taupo) » More Photos

Following the success of last year's Two Roads to Baja, SPEED once again will chronicle the paths of two very different race teams as they compete in the Taupo 1000 in New Zealand's Kaingaroa Forest.

The one-hour special will premiere Jan. 25 at 9 p.m., following a re-air of Two Roads to Baja at 8 p.m. ET.

Piloting Toyota FJ Cruisers, Ryan Millen and Kevin Necessary will put their vehicles and their skills to the test in the longest off-road race in the southern hemisphere. At 620 miles (1,000 kilometers) in total distance, split evenly over two days of racing around a 35-mile course, the race is open to purpose-built buggies and production-based race trucks.

Millen, 23, son of five-time Pikes Peak Hill Climb overall winner Rod Millen and brother of drifting ace Rhys, has run the treacherous Baja 1000 several times and just missed a class win in the MillenWorks-prepared FJ Cruiser Race truck in 2006.
Following the success of last year’s Two Roads to Baja, SPEED once again will chronicle the paths of two very different race teams. (Photo: Taupo) » More Photos

"Based on what my friends down there are telling me, the Taupo 1000 is a lot different from the Baja 1000 or any of the other off-road races we have on this side of the Pacific," Millen said. "It's not desert racing in the traditional sense because a lot of it runs through forest, and many sections of the course tend to be quite smooth, so it sounds more like a rally in those respects. But they also say there are some pretty rough sections, too, so it's
hard to say what sorts of modifications to the vehicle we'll need to make relative to how we run it over here."

Necessary, 36, had no previous off-road racing experience when he turned his daily driver FJ Cruiser into a race truck for his inaugural run in the Baja 1000.

Said Necessary: " � this isn't just all fun and games, by any means. It's affecting our work, it's affecting our families, it's affecting our pocketbooks, and it's affecting every aspect of our lives. But we're all stoked, and I don't think any of us would have things any other way."

SPEEDtv.com will support the program with a designated microsite (Keyword: Taupo), that includes photo galleries and journals from each of the drivers, as well as links to more information about the Taupo 1000.

SPEED is the nation's first and foremost cable television network dedicated to motor sports and the passion for everything automotive. From racing to restoration, motorcycles to movies, SPEED delivers quality programming from the track to the garage. Now available in more than 78 million homes in North America, SPEED is among the fastest-growing sports cable networks in the country and, the home to NASCAR on SPEED and an industry leader in interactive TV, video on demand, mobile initiatives and broadband services. For more information, please visit SPEEDtv.com, the online motor sports authority.

Get more on the “Two Roads to the Taupo 1000” here!

Commenting is not allowed in this article.
View All Comments